1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions, methods and products for promoting hair growth, slowing hair loss, preventing hair loss, or minimizing hair loss and to methods of using and preparing same. In another aspect, the present invention relates to compositions and products containing colloidal metals for promoting hair growth, slowing hair loss, preventing hair loss, or minimizing hair loss and to methods of using and preparing. In even another aspect the present invention relates to compositions and products administered orally or topically containing colloidal silver for promoting hair growth, slowing hair loss, preventing hair loss, or minimizing hair loss and to methods of using and preparing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hair loss or alopecia may be caused by a variety of factors including heredity, hormonal deficiencies or imbalances, diet, stress, chemotherapy or aging. The desire to maintain or regain head hair has led to continuing efforts throughout history to discover compositions and methods for stimulating hair growth and for preventing or minimizing hair loss.
Colloidal silver is a suspension of electrically charged microscopic metallic silver. It is known in the prior art as an antimicrobial agent effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens including bacteria, fungi and viruses. It has been used as an antibiotic, water purifier and food preservative. In addition to its use as an anti-microbial agent, claims of the curative properties of colloidal silver include stimulation of healing of injured tissue and bone, tissue regeneration and elimination of old or cancerous cells. Colloidal silver has been administered internally and topically, for example, by injection, as ear and eye drops, or as a topical spray or as an inhalent.
Typically, colloidal silver is produced by inserting pure silver electrodes into distilled or de-ionized water to which sea salt or trace minerals have been added.
There have been many attempts in the prior art to provide effective compositions and methods for promoting hair growth, slowing hair loss, and/or for minimizing or preventing hair loss. However, none of these attempts have utilized colloidal metal or specifically colloidal silver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,100 issued Jun. 6, 1995 to Eliaz et al. discloses methods and products for promoting hair growth, preventing or minimizing hair loss, enhancing or restoring hair color or remelanization and treating other hair and skin afflictions. The methods of the '100 patent include topical applications of the products to the skin or hair follicles being treated. The product of the '100 patent includes a treating agent selected form the class of chemicals consisting of anol, anethole, analogs of the above, polymers of the above, and mixtures of the above with various mixture of these chemicals being found in herb families including umbelliferae, magnoliaceae, labiatae and rutaceae. The '100 invention preferably selects the treatment agent from the class of herbs consisting of Foeniculum vulgares (fennel seed), Pimpinella anisum (anise), Carum carvi (caraway seeds) and mixtures thereof with each other and/or other herbs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,672 issued May 7, 1996 to Bazzano discloses an oral administration or topical application to the skin, hair, and/or hair follicle of effective amounts of retinoid, particularly retinoic acid to increase rate of hair growth, stimulation of hair follicles to produce to produce new hair growth, prolongation of the anagen phase of the hair cycle, and conversion of vellus hair to growth as terminal hair and treatment of alopecia due to organic dysfunction of the hair follicle. The retinoid of the '627 patent may be administered or applied alone or with other adjuctive compounds including vitamins, such as Vitamin D.sub.3, hormones, antiandrogens and/or vasodiliators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,078 issued Jun. 4, 1996 to Baylin discloses an aqueous composition for the treatment of hair and scalp which includes a chelating agent, gellan gum, a vitamin precursor, preservative, biotin, a vitamin derivative, .gamma.-linolenic acid, menthol, a liposome, a conditioner, a solubilizer, a conditioner/humectant, folic acid, and a poly amino sugar condensate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,168 issued Dec. 24, 1996 to Vanonou discloses cosmetic preparations containing finely divided solid particles of gold, silver or platinum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,693 issued Mar. 4, 1997 to Bonte et al. discloses a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition which comprises oxyacanthine, one of its derivatives, one of their cosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts or an extract of a plant in which it i s present, such as berberis vulgaris or barberry. One particular association is that of oxyacanthine with a saponin for stimulating hair growth, retarding hair loss or combating pruritus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,002 issued May 13, 1997 to Weuffen et al. discloses cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparations for improving the quality and stimulating the growth of hair. The preparations of the '002 patent are based on A) alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and/or ammonium salts of thiocyanic acid in combination with B) at lease one component selected from estrogens, sulfur, sulfide ions, vasodilators, skin-active vitamins, inorganic selenium compounds, amino acids, protein hydrolyzates and carboxylic acids physiologically occurring in the skin or mixtures thereof. The preparations may optionally be in admixture with per se known auxiliary and carrier materials for hair cleaning and hair care agents. A synergistic improvement in the quality of hair and stimulation of hair growth is observed by combining the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and/or ammonium slats of thiocyanic acid with at least on of the component B materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,510 issued Oct. 7, 1997 to DiTucci discloses a hair treatment solution capable of acting as a cosmetic, reducing alopecia, eliminating alopecia, increasing hair growth or any combination thereof. The solution of the '510 patent comprises garlic powder, brewer's yeast, grapefruit juice, acetic acid and kelp.
Thus, in spite of the advancements in the prior art, there is a need in the art for compositions for promoting hair growth, slowing hair loss, and for preventing or minimizing hair loss that do not suffer from the deficiencies of the prior art, and for methods of making and using such compositions.
This and other needs in the art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon review of this specification, including its claims.